Why won t my passport scan at the airport?

It might not be scanning because: you haven't aligned the NFC reader on your phone with your passport; or. your passport chip might not be working.



There are several common reasons why a passport might not scan at the airport. The issue usually lies with the Machine-Readable Zone (MRZ)—the two lines of text at the bottom of the photo page.

Here are the most frequent causes and what you can do:

1. Physical Damage to the MRZ

  • Worn or scratched barcode (e-passport chip cover): The most common issue. If the glossy rectangle on the front cover is scuffed, the scanner’s laser can’t read the embedded chip.
  • Bent or warped passport: A severely bent passport can damage the internal chip or make the MRZ lines unreadable.
  • Peeling laminate or torn page: The page with your photo and MRZ is laminated. If it’s peeling, the scanner may fail.

2. Chip Malfunction (for e-passports)

  • The embedded RFID chip might be dead or damaged. This can happen from exposure to strong electromagnetic fields, moisture, or simply a manufacturing defect.

3. Dirty or Obstructed MRZ

  • Smudges, dirt, or sticker residue over the barcode or the text lines can block the scanner.

4. Technical Issues (Not Your Passport’s Fault)

  • Airport scanner is malfunctioning. The agent will usually try another scanner or gate.
  • Poor alignment. Sometimes the agent just needs to place it flatter or reposition it.

5. Human Error in Data Entry

  • This is rare, but if the data encoded in the MRZ (like your name, passport number, expiration

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Travelers are prompted to scan their passport, take a photograph using the kiosk, and answer a series of CBP inspection related questions verifying biographic and flight information. Once passengers have completed the series of questions, a receipt will be issued.

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Airline staff will need to check your passport either at the time of check-in or at your gate. To check in at a kiosk you will need one of the following: Confirmation number (usually sent via email if ticket is purchased online or through a travel agency)

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Upon arrival, go through the immigration and passport control area of the airport. Passengers are split into multiple lines. There is generally a line for host country nationals (people with a passport from that country), sometimes a line for citizens of the region (EU, ECOWAS, etc), and non-immigrant visitors.

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The US State Department notes damage that will require a replacement as “water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries,” while also flagging that “wear and tear” such as bending and fanning are not to be worried about.

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The verification, the airline says, happens by scanning the photo page and reading the embedded passport chip. The digital identity is then created, stored on the mobile device and ready to use for future travel.

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